A Teacher for Life.....

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Lessons learnt by rod

The little child forgets - all

that remains is pain.....

Linking to Haiku Horizons - Forget

A child is like a flower. Treat it with a gentle touch, caress the buds, nourish the soil and you find the flower blooming beautifully one day. But neglect it, abuse it, starve it and it is sure to die. So is the heart of the little child which beats and flutters delightfully at the slight sight of affection. But harsh words wither the heart away. Joy flees, innocence takes refuge in some remote world and all that remains is bitterness and pain.

I am reminded of the words of Alexander the Great who said, " I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well." Teacher is the lighthouse in the life of a child who is growing up. The light guides the exploring ship on rocky paths, warning just in time of dangers lurking ahead, and yet letting him go on on his journey. Imagine if the lighthouse blocked the way of the ship and stopped it from moving forward. What would happen then? The ship would be trapped and might drown. 

The role of the caregiver, parent or teacher becomes very crucial in upbringing the child. If the person in charge of taking care of the child is not equipped with the primary quality of kindness, then the future of that child is sure doomed. Without a loving heart and a tolerant mind, the teacher can never instill good qualities in the child, primarily because, the teacher himself is devoid of them. Good guidance includes sensitivity for the other mind. Good mentoring incorporates acceptance of faults and flaws, and their rectification without judgement. Where the mind starts judging, compassion flies away and what is left is bias.

So if you are a teacher, teach with love. Sit next to a child who can not hold the pencil properly. Rebuke him not, but gently hold his hand and let him write. Let him write that he is the best. If he finds it difficult to read, or does not understand the words on the page, feed his imagination. Let him dream, spark up a scene for him and fly away with him to his fantasy world where he will find words to express his feelings, and discover new joys. Let him find pride for himself. Let him feel worthy of what he is, of who he is. Judge not by the flaws. Judge not at all. Praise the goodness in him. For you might not be with him for long but your words will travel with him way longer than you might have imagined. 

Linking it to #Monday Musings on WriteTribe